Canon announces PowerShot N Facebook ready edition

Canon has created a 'Facebook ready' variant of its social-media-focused PowerShot N digital camera. The 'Facebook ready' version will only be available directly from Canon (in the US, at least) and has a dedicated Facebook connect button in the place of the connect-to-device one on the standard N. Once the camera has been taught your login details, you can upload images with a choice of who gets to see them, once posted. The 1/2.3" 12MP sensor camera will cost $299.

With Built-In Wi-Fi® Technology and a Dedicated Facebook Connect Button, the PowerShot N Facebook ready Digital Camera Lets Users Create and Share High-Quality Images and Video with the Press of a Button

Melville, N.Y., August 22, 2013 – To address the popular trend of instantly sharing photos and videos with family and friends, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced a new version of its uniquely designed PowerShot N digital camera – the PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera. A Canon Direct exclusive, the PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera features a convenient Facebook Connect Button that supports instant sharing of crisp, clear images and videos to users’ Facebook accounts.

Helping people’s creativity shine through, the PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera’s Creative Shot mode automatically creates a series of five artistic photos along with the original for an array of options that are ready to impress. With the convenient Facebook Connect Button and Wi-Fi® technology, the PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera connects the camera directly to users’ Facebook accounts, so they can upload, comment and share their most creative, detailed images while on-the-go.

In addition to offering powerful artistic and connectivity functions, the PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera features a 2.8-inch capacitive, tilt-touch panel LCD, allowing users to capture creative images at unique angles. With a shutter and zoom ring, both located around the lens, images can be snapped easily from the top or bottom of the ring so the perfect shot is always within reach.

The PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera offers an 8x optical zoom and a 28mm wide-angle lens, packaged with a 12.1-megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5 Image Processor. Users can also record high-quality 1080p Full HD video with a dedicated movie button. With Hybrid Auto users can automatically create a composite video of brief clips that are recorded while taking photos to give a creative overview of a day’s activities. The PowerShot N Facebook ready’s Face ID system allows for the camera to automatically recognize and focus on familiar faces. In addition, Canon’s Intelligent IS System allows the camera to automatically select the optimal image stabilization settings according to the shooting conditions, taking the guesswork out of identifying the ideal setting for each unique shot.

“At Canon, we are continually working to improve the way users share their photos and videos,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “The new PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera, with the Facebook Connect Button, opens up a new dimension of photographic sharing and expression to help people showcase their personal style and creative flair with powerful innovative Canon technologies.”

Convenient Sharing with the Facebook Connect Button

To make sure users can instantly share photos and videos with family and friends, the PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera now features a convenient Facebook Connect Button. After an initial one-time set-up, pressing the new Facebook Connect Button links the camera to the users’ Facebook account for quick and easy sharing. Users can also control the destination of their Facebook uploads by choosing to share content with everyone, or to select Facebook groups.

Wi-Fi Connectivity for Easy Sharing The PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera is also equipped with built-in Wi-Fi® technology, so high-quality images can be shared with friends and family even while on-the-go. Users now have the ability to comment on their uploaded photos directly from the camera – so starting a conversation on social networking sites is easy and convenient. Users can also instantly upload images wirelessly from the camera to CANON iMAGE GATEWAYi, and upload them to a computer remotely. Photos can also be printed wirelessly using Wireless PictBridgeii on select printers, including the Canon PIXMA MG7120 or PIXMA MG5520 Wireless Photo All-In-One printers.

The Ultimate Tool to Capture Creativity Creative Shot, available on the PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera, is an easy, yet powerful tool to add artistic effects to photos. In Creative Shot mode, users compose their shot and let the PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera automatically create a series of five artistic photos along with the original to deliver creative new perspectives using different color modes, crops and styles. In addition, the new PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera offers 58 scenes of Smart AUTO and provides an 8x optical zoom to help users capture the ultimate creative shot.

A first-ever for the PowerShot line-up, the camera’s zoom lens and shutter are both operated on the camera’s dual-ring lens. By moving the dual-ring left or right users can control the camera’s zoom, and by pressing on the other ring users control the shutter, which can be released from the top or bottom of the ring, so managing the PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera is easy and effortless.

The PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera features a touch shutter, enabling users to start tracking a subject simply by pressing the intuitive touch panel LCD, and then capture the image by lifting their finger off the screen. For added flexibility, the image on the screen rotates with the camera – so people can capture even the most unique shot.

Sleek, Small and Designed for Portability With a sleek and unique design, the PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera is ideal for quick on-the-go shooting. This camera features a 2.8-inch capacitive, tilt touch panel LCD, which offers 90 degrees of tilt, encouraging users to capture images from a wide array of angles and positions effectively in virtually any location. The top-mounted hinge keeps the PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera compact for convenient on-the-go shooting and easy, one-handed operation. The PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera uses a Micro SD card to store images, and the camera can be easily charged with a USB cable while on-the-go, ensuring the creative process is never interrupted. In addition, the USB cable provides a quick and easy way to download videos as an alternative to the innovative Wi-Fi® options.

Pricing and Availability The PowerShot N Facebook ready digital camera will be available in white in September 2013 on the Canon Direct online store for $299.99. For more information, and a full list of product specifications, visit www.usa.canon.com/powershot.

I guess no one commenting here has a camera with wifi yet... because most of them can post to facebook... and many other sites. I don't quite see the point of a dedicated product with a tiny sensor - it's not a good camera and relegates itself to one dedicated task, and it's not versatile like a smartphone. At $50 the market could bear such a gadget - as it would be cheap, disposable... but if it costs any more, I don't know.

Good question E Dinkla. My guess is that Canon wants to keep the camera as idiot proof as possible, so the fewer buttons the better. The camera has a playback button, Shutter button, and facebook button, and for some people that still may be too many buttons to figure out. Besides, folks can still access all of the other social media sites via WIFI thru the touchscreen.

While the PowerShot N isn't likely to have a big fan base among DPR readers, its concept makes sense if you think of it as a smartphone accessary that doesn't physically attach to the phone. Basically, it's just a zoom lens + large sensor (huge compared to smartphone's sensor) that can fit in the same pocket as the phone or be worn around the neck as jewelry. Teenagers and young adults will love it, and that's the audience you want to capture if you want to grow your business. Think of it as a reinvention of the Canon Elph.

You're bang on Donnie. I think this is a great idea for a niche market that wants photos. I work at a box store and I have sold a few of these based on facebook but also it's 6x filter process which allows you to snap a photo and have filters and cropping applied in 6 different ways. It's a brilliant move by Canon.

Hi Neodp, remember, Canon is not anything like the Kodak of the film era. I doubt that Canon is all that interested in selling to the Dollar Store shopper. What the PowerShot N and even the film era Canon ELPH represents is chic, fashionable, hip, upscale accessorizing for those persons who readily pluck down $400 and more for their chic, fashionable, hip, upscale smartphones and other toys. Let the competition squabble over the lowest end of the market. It just makes good business sense.

Its unlikely the target audience is going to appreciate the distinction between the camera in their phone and this. Frankly, even those who do are likely to conclude it's not worth the bother and expense.

It costs too much, but the idea is not that dumb. Sure, phone can take pictures and post them easily on facebook. But it does not have zoom and takes poor pictures in low-light (clubs, parties, movie theathers, etc etc). It is made to be very pocketable, looks like a piece of make-up and serves the purpose of being partly a fashion accessory, partly a communication tool. I would put an option to send text in there, but still I expect it to see it in purses of 16 year old girls across the country, as long as the price drops a little.

I don´t really see the point in buying such a camera if you are mainly interested in sharing photos on Facebook. A smartphone or tablet would be enough for that. Some phones have really good cameras, with zoom, brand lenses, manual shutter-speed, etc.See for example Nokia Lumia 1020 or Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom (there´s an interesting comparison here):

Yes this is designed to compete with mobile phones but if those specs are correct then my Xperia Z has a 28mm F2.2 camera which should allow more light onto its sensor than that on the Canon's f3.0 aperture (also 28mm). Maybe there won't be that much difference from today's mobile phone cameras but it's nice to see the dedication to the FB fraternity. :-)

I'm completely unimpressed with this camera as well, but give DPR a break. Canon sent them a press release and they published it, just like they always do when new cameras are announced. I don't think any review has been delayed because of this.

@chadley_chat, they could at least label it "connect" instead, so we can filter out this junk.

If you would like another example to Sam's point, here is another (as they abound)... perhaps the story about a camera that was lost, then found, in an alligator pit, would have been man-hours better spent.

This is a fine example of totally useless camera;- Camera cannot text, thus average smartphone does a better job for social network contact. (and sphones offer a choice of social networks)- Image Quality will not do for serious photographers who need a upload anyhow now feature .

Overall I'm really getting worried about Canon's future making a statement with such outdated crap.

Progress is a wonderful thing: now your friends and anyone who finds your lost camera can post p*rn on your Facebook page without your knowledge. But wait, there's more: you might be branded as a paedophile for the rest of your life because someone put kiddie p*orn on your Facebook page.

Mediocre idea by 2008 standards. Almost offensively stupid now. Nobody cares if they have image hosting. Everyone's phone can post images anywhere. Too little much too late and with too much marketing BS fanfare. You lost the market to mobiles, you lost the plot, give it a rest. Where were the fancy MBA idiots five years ago? Too late now. Bye.